Renegade
by Dove's Wings
Summary: He was the renegade. The man who spent most of his life running from the law. The man she never thought she would need. The man who took her home. - Juliet&Sawyer
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to 1974.

Their story had started long before, well, long after 1974; depending on what timeline you're looking at. But it hadn't truly started until their launch into the past. Their launch into the past, and two promised weeks.

* * *

She was sitting on the dock. The same dock that thirty years from now she'd be standing on as her way home would be blown sky-high by John Locke. But here, in this time, her ride home was still here. And it was leaving tomorrow.

By now, the sun had set and all the good dharma folks had head into their cookie-cutter yellow homes. But she was still here. Sitting on the dock with half a bottle of dharma branded rum and a foggy head. She didn't even realize he had come up until he plopped down next to her and grabbed at the bottle for a pull.

"I'm taking the sub tomorrow." She said. Not to him in particular, but maybe just to everyone. To make sure she went through with it.

"If you go, who's gonna have my back?" he paused. "The next sub comes in two weeks. You gotta give me that. Locke will be back and we'll be home before you know it." He sounded so hopeful. Here was a side of James Ford she had never seen thus far. She's seen Sawyer. The man who tried to kick her off the beach. Outed her as a conspirator. The man in his file. But this, this was the first time she met James Ford.

"Okay, James. Two weeks." She watched him as he smiled a bit to himself. He stood himself up and reached his hands down to help her up. She went to grab them slowly. Grasping his hands she could feel the roughness and the callouses. She felt a small comfort from them. Enough to bring a small ounce of hope. Hope that maybe James Ford would be the one to finally get her home.

* * *

Who was he to ask her to stay? The poor women had been on this island three years. Him? A month and a couple days. He couldn't even remember at this point. But looking at her, he couldn't let her go that easy. Purely for the fact that he wouldn't be able to get through this sane by himself. Hell knows that keeping track of Miles, Jin, and the damn twitchy scientist kid would be enough to drive him mad in a matter of hours. But Juliet fascinated him. Her quietness. Her intuition. Her confidence to make the right decisions even when she's going at it alone. She's different. She's not Kate.

He wouldn't lie to himself and say he didn't miss her. He did. And part of him can't tell if he's pissed that he jumped off that helicopter or if he's glad. She could be dead for all he knows. But despite it all, he hopes that she got away.

He and Juliet walk back in silence. It wasn't a very long walk to the little yellow house Horace had borrowed them during their stay. By the time they got back, Miles and Jin were passed out in one of the bedrooms, and twitchy the scientist was nodding off at the table mumbling into his notebook. He stopped in the living room.

"Well. Uh. Thanks for agreein' to stay Juliet." He said, voice thick with his southern drawl. He watched for her reaction.

Looking up, she murmured, "Don't worry. I've got your back remember?" With that, James watched as she walked towards the other bedroom. Stopping before she reached the door, she looked back and whispered a light "goodnight" before entering the door then closing the door with a light click.

He laid down on the couch, arm over head, staring at the ceiling. Those sad eyes. She may sound like she's got it together, but those eyes tell another story.

Before he slipped to sleep himself, " _That son-of-a-bitch has two weeks."_ He thought, " _I have two weeks. I gotta get this girl home_."

* * *

 **Authors Note: So not completely sure how i'm going to work this, or if i'll finish it. (Depends on if I get any feedback I guess) But I'm working on some stuff and I have some ideas I want to toy with! But i'd appreciate feedback or anything :) Thanks guys!**

 **-Kas**


	2. Chapter 2

The next two weeks included a lot of waiting. Horace, surprised that all but Daniel had decided to stay, opened them all with open arms. Leaving them space and letting them out to "search for their people" a couple hours a day. Needless to say, they were all getting sick of waiting and sick of each other.

"You know what we've found this week? A shit ton of trees, some leaves, oh. Yeah. AND NO JOHN LOCKE." Miles shouted, his ever thin temper letting go some anger, "Why would you think they would come back, huh? They're going to get home, get a boat-load of cash just for being in the damn crash. They aren't going to spare a second thought about us."

They were well into week two of this. Miles shouting, Jin attempting to communicate something, presumably about his wife, and James being moderator. He was beginning to understand how the Doc felt. Constantly having to sift through the shit to make the others happy. But all during this time Juliet had remained quiet. Never joining in the shouting, trying to help with Jin, never trying to help him out. And he was sick of it.

"You gotta input her blondie? Cause I ain't see you doing nothing to help us out." He threw his arms up with exasperation.

"What do you want me to say, James?" Juliet snapped, throwing him off guard, "They aren't coming back. Were in 1974! How do you even expect them to find us? Let alone on this god damn island."

"The lady has a point LaFleur. I don't think John Locke, or anyone for that matter, will be coming to our rescue anytime soon." Miles agreed,

"Fine. What'd ya want me to tell you? Stay or go, i'll be here when the bastard decides to get his ass back here." James exclaimed, running his hand through his hair annoyed. He looked over at Juliet. He knew the conversation coming up could quite possibly pull all of them in different directions. But he needed them to stay. He needed her to stay. "The next sub comes in a couple days, and I ain't getting on it. You still got my back Blondie?"

Juliet shifted on her feet. Half of her wanted to run screaming onto the sub and get the hell off this island. But what would she be leaving it for? She has nothing in the real world. She can't go back to being a doctor, her sister technically is all of a couple years old at this point, and the nephew she's always wanted to meet? Not even close to a thought in her head. But the other half said stay. Stick it out with these guys. It's not like anyone else would understand the situation she's in. And there was James. They've been through a lot together in the past couple of weeks. Dodging flaming arrows and surviving time flashes can really bring you close to a person. She knew it really wasn't a decision she was making.

"I got your back." She nodded. Slowly James watched as Miles and Jin nodded their heads in agreement to their decision.

They were staying.

* * *

Juliet plopped down on the couch, too tired to over-think or worry about her decision. Their decision. But hell, if she was going to be stuck here, may as well make the best of it. "You know, I don't remember hating the 70s..." She stated, "It could be worse right?"

James let out a quick chuckle and rolled his eyes. Miles was in the kitchen rooting through cabinets for cups. After a few minutes he brought around cups for us all and started pouring some drinks.

* * *

Hours later, it was just James and Juliet sitting together on the porch swing. Her feet in his lap as they both nursed another drink.

"Why do you want me to stay so bad?" Juliet asked. It was one thing she couldn't stop thinking of. Why her? Wasn't he hung up on losing Kate? Or was he not? She didn't know, but at this point she couldn't stop thinking of it.

"I don't know." He replied softly. A shred of truth from James Ford. "I guess without you I don't know what I'd do." Juliet looked over at him curtly. What was this coming from him? Was it the drinks? "And well… you know i'd probably have already killed Miles if you haven't stopped me."

"Mmm. Its definitely so you don't kill Miles." She paused. She didn't know what was going to come out of her mouth next… "I've never had someone go out of their way to make me stay."

"Jack wanted you to stay at the beach; and if I remember right, you two were getting pretty cozy."

"Only because Jack couldn't get what he wanted. I was just there for him to try get over the fact that Kate couldn't figure out how to choose either of you." She watched him flinch, instantly being filled with guilt, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I-I really should head to bed…" she stammered as she swung her legs off his lap and walked briskly into the house.

James sat on the bench in silence for a little bit thinking about what she had said. Kate had used him. He sees this now. He's kind of known it all along. But Juliet… He wanted her to stay because what he said was true: he couldn't do it without her. He didn't want to do it without her. He needed her. And admitting that, was probably the hardest thing he'd ever have to do.


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright. So what are you getting Juliet for christmas?" Miles had been on him ALL DAY about this. Him and Jin have spent the last week devoted to thinking of ideas for a gift.

"Who say I even gotta get her something?" James huffed. Where the hell was this coming from and why. Jin walked over to him,

"You and Juliet. Every night sit on the porch and talk for hours." James had to admit, his english was definitely getting better at this point, "You like her. She likes you. You need to get her a gift."

"There you go! The korean has said it all. Dont bother trying to get out of this one Jim." Miles was grinning. James glanced over at Juliet. She was laughing with some of the other workers at the motor pool. She had jumped in and seemed to fit in right away. The men were waiting a little ways away for their van to get fixed before they could head out on a patrol.

"Ah.. You know, just drop it…" In truth, James had been thinking about getting her a gift. Not that he would ever admit that to the guys. But a couple weeks in to their new life, James and Juliet had come accustomed to spending their evenings on the porch. Reading or just talking. It was the best damn thing that has happened to him in as long as he could remember. It was one of those nights that Juliet had talked about a song called "Downtown." Ever since that night, he'd been working with Horace to try and pin down a record. With Christmas a few days away, he had managed to get it and sneak it into the house without anyone noticing.

Juliet was smiling when she walked over. She could tell from the distance that Miles and Jin were giving James a hard time. "Vans all done."

"So Juliet, you're going to the dharma christmas party rightt?" Miles was not a smooth person when it came to the hinting game, "You know, James said it wouldn't be the same without you there." James shot him a look that could kill.

"Well in that case, of course i'll be going. Here are the keys." She left the keys with James then walked back towards the motor pool.

"You hear that boss?" James gave Miles a little shove in the chest before walking off towards the van. His heart fluttering nervously, but he had an in.

* * *

Christmas Day was a big deal in dharma. Granted, all holidays were a big deal. They threw a big party outside and everyone gathered together. There was food, music, and a bunch of hippies.

Juliet was talking to some of the other girls and some of the people she works with. She was having an easier time with the whole "fitting in" deal than the rest. Horace walked over to James, leaning back and forth on his feet he leaned in and whispered, "I think your time is now. Better do it soon."

Miles had went over to talk to some of the girls and Jin had kept to some of the other guys in security. James looked over at Horace and nodded.

* * *

"Hey blondie, you got a sec?" James was nervous as hell. Why? He had no clue. He felt like he was 16 again waiting to ask a girl out for the first time. Juliet was wearing flare jeans and a red short-sleeve top with a low scooping neckline. Damn did she look good.

"What's up?" She smiled, this was the first time in years on the island she had a holiday she wasn't completely miserable. And the man in front of her had a lot to do about that. James jerked his head for her to follow him. He brought her to a palmtree covered in string christmas lights. "You know, even though I grew up in florida I always thought it was silly to put christmas lights on palm trees."

"Well sorry blondie, we're fresh out of christmas trees…" He bent down by a nearby bush and brought out a small box wrapped with newspaper. He ran his hand through his hair, nervous, "I know it ain't much. But I didn't want you going through our first christmas in the dharmaville 70's without a little somethin'."

Juliet looked at him with awe, taking the box she carefully undid the newspaper as not to rip any of the edges. It was a record. It was the record she has told him about one of their first few nights here while they talked on their porch. She felt her eyes water.

"I.. thank you." She wiped her eyes and went up for a peck on his cheek. She froze as soon as she did it. His expression looked as though he was just as surprised as her.

"I think i'd like to add on a little somethin to my gift," he murmured low into her ear. Juliet's heart was beating fast,

"Okay." she managed to choke out. James cupped her face softly into his hands. His thumb stroked her cheek as he went in for the kiss. His lips tender against hers, but feeling all too right and familiar.

Slowly, the kiss became more frantic and desperate. James pushed her against the tree and she let out a little breath of air. "Miles wasn't going to bring that girl home, right?" James looked around,

"He sure as hell ain't now… Let's go."

* * *

Later that night they found each other curled up under the sheets. Juliet's head resting against his tanned chest.

"You know, I did get you a gift too." She sat up holding the sheet up to cover her chest, as if modesty was necessary after what they just did. As she leaned over the edge of the bed James grabbed her by the hips and gave her a kiss on the small of her back. She waved her hands back in protest but quickly came back with a wrapped present. "Its not much, but I thought you deserved something too."

Inside was a book and a photograph. Of Mice and Men. "How the hell did you get this?" It was a picture of James and his mom. Judging by the year, he was maybe 5 or 6 years old.

"I had Radzinsky pull a couple strings. I thought you might like it…" Juliet was nervous. Not quite sure if he was more upset than happy about it.

"This is the first Christmas gift i've gotten in years." He leaned over to kiss her forehead, "Thanks."


End file.
